First Impressions
I'll admit that when I first heard news that LG had been chosen to build next Nexus smartphone I was more than a little concerned. LG do not have the best track record when it comes to manufacturing flagship Android handsets, but thankfully my concerns were short-lived. Once I had the device in my hands it was clear that LG had produced an exceptional product worthy of the Nexus moniker.
Design
The build quality is almost second to none, equalling that of the iPhone 5, but I still prefer the Nexus 4's overall design, weight, and dimensions. The iPhone 5, with its sharp lines, narrow display and metal frame feels cold and even a little underwhelming when placed alongside the Nexus 4. With its curved glass display, soft touch black frame and shimmering glass back panel, the Nexus 4 feels solid and, dare I say it, looks more attractive. No doubt Apple fans will scream bloody murder and disagree with my last comment, but I ask that you go and see the Nexus 4 in person before you wax lyrical in the comments about Apple's design chops.
Anyway, moving on. The loudspeaker on the Nexus 4 is clear although its placement on the back, bottom right corner of the phone, is less than ideal. You have to cup the speaker with your hand when holding the phone in landscape mode to avoid muffling the sound. Placing the Nexus 4 on its back on a flat surface will also muffle the sound considerably. It's a poor design choice at the end of the day, but in the grand scheme of things it's not a deal-breaker. The headphone audio is quality is also very clear and Android's built-in EQ really helps to refine the sound quality.
Cameras
There are two cameras in the Nexus 4, the rear is an 8 megapixel unit that produces great pictures, especially compared to Google's previous Nexus phone, which left a lot to be desired. It's not going to replace a full-blown DSLR anytime soon, but it's on par with an entry-level compact camera. In well-lit conditions the images are excellent, colours are vibrant and realistic, and images are sharp. It does produce quite grainy images in low light conditions compared to the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S III and iPhone 5, so if this is a key feature for you, then one of the latter handsets might be more suited to your needs. Overall, the camera is pretty good.
The front-facing 1.3 megapixel camera is also very capable. If you're a fan of Google+ hangouts or Skype calling, then you'll really appreciate the Nexus 4's video call performance when paired with its dual microphones. A group of my friends miss-took the Nexus 4 for a laptop in a Google+ hangout because the quality was so good.
The Display
The Nexus 4's solid frame houses a huge 4.7 inch IPS+ LCD display with a 1280 x 768 resolution, that crams in an impressive 320 pixels per inch. The result is a super-sharp and vibrant display with excellent viewing angles, which is on par with the arguably best-in-class display found in the HTC One X. Google have moved away from AMOLED display technology for the first time in favour of LCD, which offers a brighter panel with more accurate colour reproduction.
Text is crisp and easy to read, high resolution images are vibrant and rich with detail, and high definition video content looks incredible. I'm still taken aback by how good video content looks on the Nexus 4, even after several weeks of daily use.
The reason for this image quality isn't just thanks to the display, but also thanks to the laminating process used to fuse the cover glass and multi-touch sensors together. This process reduces the gap between the glass and display panel, making images feel like they are right on the surface of the glass, rather than a few layers below.
The Nexus 4 uses Corning's toughened and scratch resistant Gorilla Glass 2, both on the front and the back. I'm not sure if it's the manufacturing process or some kind of coating, but the surface of the glass is incredibly smooth to the touch, more so than any touch screen device I have used in the past, and the surface is also surprisingly smudge resistant.
You'll likely be concerned about the glass back, as it could shatter if the phone is dropped, and I'm inclined to agree. Gorilla Glass 2 benefits aside, I would definitely recommend a case for the Nexus 4. Even with the glass being flush with the frame, it will still break if dropped from a decent height. There is an official Nexus 4 bumper case available to buy, but I'd still recommend something that protects the back as well as the sides. That glass back will be expensive to repair.
Storage
The Nexus 4 is available with 8GB or 16GB of onboard storage. There are no expansion slots for external memory, so if this isn't enough space for you then I suggest looking elsewhere, but for the majority of users 16GB is more than enough. I wouldn't recommend the 8GB model unless you're budget conscious or store most of your content in the cloud. The phone's system files share the same storage space, making the usable space closer to 5GB than 8GB.
The Software
The Nexus 4 runs Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, the latest and greatest version of Google's mobile operating system. Free from any manufacturer modifications or 'skins', this is the purest Android experience available, and is one of the biggest selling points of the Nexus 4. I have already covered Android 4.1 in detail here, but I'll run through a few of the new features introduced in Android's latest point release.
First up, the camera app has been redesigned with a nifty contextual menu that is activated simply by placing your thumb on the screen. The camera controls are then spread out in a circle around your thumb. You can then select items by moving your thumb and lifting off to activate the given function, such as the new HDR mode, which appears to be unique to the Nexus 4 at the moment.
One of my favourite features of Android 4.2 is the new photosphere mode, which makes it possible to create 'Street View' style 360 degree panoramic photographs, where you capture every angle of your view in individual pictures, which the software then intelligently stitches together to produce a single an interactive panoramic image. Here's an example I took with the Nexus 4 in Bruges to demonstrate.
Google Now, the company's 'intelligent personal assistant' feature has also been improved, with a selection additional cards, such as a monthly report of the distance you have walked and cycled when location reporting is enabled within the settings.
Speech recognition in Android 4.2 is orders of magnitude better on the Nexus 4 compared to its predecessor, the Galaxy Nexus. Faster processing and more sensitive microphones appear to play a big part in its improved accuracy. The difference is like night and day, making voice commands and speech-to-text input usable features, rather than just gimmicks.
Android 4.2 also comes with gesture-based keyboard inputs baked right into the OS. Similar to Swype and SwiftKey, it makes it possible to spell out words with a single swiping gesture, instead of pecking at the keyboard with your thumbs and fingers. It works surprisingly well and I find myself alternating between tap and swipe input methods depending on each individual word in a message.
The Android lock screen is now accompanied by lock-screen widgets, making it easier to jumps straight into the camera app or glance at your Gmail inbox without visiting the homepage first. These widgets are a little gimmicky, but can still be quite useful at times. At first I didn't like them at all, but they grew on me as I spent more time using the phone.
Other than the main features noted above, plus some small design tweaks, Android 4.2 is largely the same as 4.1, which is no surprise given that it is essential just a point release. Google also added a new multiple-user account feature, but it is exclusive to tablet devices and doesn't currently support phones.
Performance and battery life
Billed as the 'fastest phone on the planet' by Google, the Nexus 4 had a lot to live up to. In my experience it is very quick indeed, but it's hard to judge such claims when other phones sport different operating systems with different feature sets.
Thanks to its quad-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 Pro CPU and generous 2GB of RAM, the Nexus 4 can handle even the most graphically intensive apps with ease. I'm yet to come across an app that the Nexus 4 struggles with. Operating system animations and transitions were equally as smooth and snappy.
In my opinion, if it feels fast to you, then that is really all that matters, who cares what the spec sheets say. Only the most processor intensive games and apps are going to slow your hardware down, but that will always be the case as developers push the latest hardware to its limits.
The Nexus 4's battery life is impressive, especially considering the size of the display. It'll still struggle to make it through the day if you're running a lot of processor intensive tasks, but for general use it lasts from morning to evening with a little juice to spare. If you're planning a long journey that requires satellite navigation, then you won't be as lucky. Like any capable mobile device, the GPS will make mincemeat of your battery if you leave it running constantly. Make sure you keep it plugged into a suitable power outlet if that's the case.
Connectivity
While on the theme of GPS, the Nexus 4 pinpoints its location extremely quickly, which was greatly appreciated while I navigated my way around Brussels over the Christmas holidays. Checking my location every few minutes throughout a long day of sightseeing had little impact on battery life. Accuracy of responsiveness of GPS is a key feature for me and I was very impressed with the Nexus 4's abilities.
2G and 3G reception is very good and definitely better than that of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus that came before it. Bluetooth, WiFi and NFC all work well, as you'd expect. The Nexus 4 is also capable of wireless charging when paired with an official Nexus wireless dock, but these are not yet available to buy. However, the Nokia Qi wireless charging dock is compatible with the Nexus 4, so you could always pair it with one of those if you're not willing to wait for the official dock.
Call quality on the Nexus 4 is exceptionally clear thanks to its dual microphones. I did, however, find the noise cancellation to be a little too aggressive at times, especially in loud environments. The Nexus 4 clips the audio to such a degree that the first word of a sentence was sometimes stripped out completely, making the audio sound as though the caller is in an area with poor reception.
This can be infuriating at times and I hope Google tweaks the sensitivity in the next point release of Android to fix it. Call quality in quiet areas on the other hand, is crystal clear and I have had several people comment on how clear it is during calls. You really have to hear it to believe it. This compensates for the terrible clipping in noisy areas. Well, almost.
DC-HSDPA vs 4G LTE
The Nexus 4 has one final trick up its sleeve, and that is DC-HSDPA connectivity. Without going into great detail. this is a form of 3G technology that enables the Nexus 4 to download with twice the bandwidth of standard HSPA+ devices. It's a new technology that is currently being rolled out across the UK by all the major networks. I had the chance to test out Three's DC-HSDPA network using the Nexus 4 and I can confirm that download speeds increase dramatically when connected to their 'Ultra-fast' network, and are up to twice as fast as the best standard HSPA+ connections I have experienced in the past.
The Nexus 4 does not support 4G LTE, most likely due to battery and pricing constraints, but as I have said in the past, UK 4G coverage is far from widespread, is extremely expensive, and is restricted by outrageous data caps. Until at least another 12 months have past, DC-HSDPA is, in my opinion, a much better choice for fast and affordable mobile data connectivity right now.
Ecosystem
Over the past several months Google's Play Store has evolved and matured to become a worthy alternative to Apple's App Store. Almost every smartphone app worth its salt is now available on either platform and these days many new apps launch on both platforms simultaneously. Both stores are pretty evenly matched when it comes to the major apps, although the iPhone still has a lot more high quality apps to choose from. On the flipside. Android enjoys a wider variety of free, ad-supported apps compared to the Apple App Store, which is worth bearing in mind if money is a factor in determining which platform is right for you.
At the end of the day, both platforms are mature, comprehensive and reliable. It's up to you to decide which one suits you better.
Wrap Up
Overall the Nexus 4 is, in my opinion, the best phone on the market here in the UK right now. Android 4.2, combined with the Nexus 4's powerful hardware, game-changing price and stunning display, is a combination that's hard to beat. I was so impressed with my Nexus 4 review unit that I purchased a 16GB model for myself, luckily before they ran out of stock.
Google are selling the Nexus 4 unlocked and off-contract for £239 with 8GB of memory and £279 with 16GB. At these prices it's hard not to recommend the Nexus 4 to pretty much anyone and everyone looking to buy a smartphone. To put these prices into perspective, a 16GB iPhone 5 (£529) or Galaxy SIII ($500) will set your back nearly twice as much as a 16GB Nexus 4.
If you're able to part with £279 outright, then you can take advantage of cheaper SIM-only contracts and save a considerable amount of money in the long run. That is, if you can get hold of a Nexus 4 any time soon. The handset is completely sold out on the official Google store at the time of writing, so unless you pay over the odds from a high street store, you might have to wait a few weeks to get hold of one.
The only Android phone that comes close to the Nexus 4 right now is the Samsung Galaxy S III, but the fact that the Nexus 4 runs stock Android and features DC-HSDPA connectivity makes it the clear winner in my eyes.
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